TDLC Chapter 46

Terms used in TDLC Chapter 46

Hou’ye (侯爷) – Marquis.
benhou (本侯) – a self-address used by a Marquis.
min’nü (民女) – commoner girl.
guniang (姑娘) – young lady.
gonggong (公公) – an old and/or high-ranking eunuch.
Shizi (世子) – heir apparent of an aristrocratic family.
Dianxia (殿下) – Your Highness.
Daren (大人) – title of respect towards one’s official superiors.
gongzi (公子) – a noble’s son.
xiaojie (小姐) – young lady, with implications of being noble or one’s master.
laonu (老奴) – old slave.
Yifu (义父) – foster father.
Yimu (义母) – foster mother.
Lao Tai Jun (老太君) – referring to the old matriarch of the family, or the grandmother.

 

General Notes for Three Strains of Charm, which has a background in opera:

Boudoir-role Actress (闺门旦; gui men dan) – refers to actresses who play the role of the virtuous lady, who are usually young and unmarried women of a high social status.

Xiaosheng (小生) – A general category of male roles in traditional opera, which represents young students, scholars, or soldiers. Xiaosheng actors never wear a beard, and they sing in a mixture of high falsetto and tenor.

Dajia (大家) – in this arc’s context, it refers to a highly skilled / critically acclaimed actors and actresses. The most similar and frequently used term in media would be ‘-sensei’.

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To be able to make Fu gonggong say such words, it meant that he was either related to the inner palace, or he had served as an official in court before; at worst, he had to have some connections to the prominent old families and influential officials within the Capital. Huò Wēi Lóu muttered irresolutely to himself for a moment, “As a daughter of the Bó clan, the people who can become her foster parents will naturally come from the Capital nobility. Check them one by one. Additionally, have the people in the Capital keep an eye on the situation, the case has been handed over to Lín Huái, but Lín Huái has become slightly affected by the pedantic and unimaginative atmosphere in the officialdom as he handles more official errands. If he starts stagnating, have Níng Xiāo intervene in a thing or two.”

Fu gonggong compiled, and Huò Wēi Lóu gave more instructions: “If there’s any news from Jizhou, have it sent to the Capital directly, the same goes for Cangzhou. Apart from finding that key, walking inquiries should be done in the area surrounding Yuè Míng Quán’s old home.”

Fu gonggong smiled sourly as he listened, “Hou’ye can set his mind at rest, the people that were deployed are all experienced hands, they won’t cause any delays.”

Huò Wēi Lóu did not speak any further. He was supposed to be on the road back to the Capital at this time, but taking the waterway would be slower by half a month. His mind, which was accustomed to being tightly strung, had yet to relax, and he felt slightly out-of-sorts in the moment.

Not long after, the embroidered emissary that had been sent to the docks came back with a report: “Hou’ye, there are only two boats leaving tomorrow. The first boat has the dual purpose of carrying passengers and cargo, and while it is faster, there aren’t enough guest rooms. If this boat is chosen, it will be a tight squeeze on board. The other is a passenger boat that belongs to the immensely wealthy Shěn Family which can carry up to a total of a hundred passengers. There is a very wide range of available passenger rooms presently, except it is slower on the road, which one will Hou’ye be choosing?”

When all was said and done, he was an old embroidered emissary who had been following Huò Wēi Lóu for many years, and he knew that the choice would be the faster one, but he did not dare to make the call immediately. Huò Wēi Lóu frowned a little, while Fu gonggong spoke from the side: “Hou’ye, since [we] are already here, is there a need to inconvenience ourselves? Míng gongzi’s legs are handicapped, Shizi doesn’t take well to hardship, Yōu Yōu is a young lady, and her foster father is sickly.”

Huò Wēi Lóu felt like Fu gonggong was being slightly garrulous, so he waved his hand, “Settle with the passenger boat then.”

Fu gonggong was perfectly satisfied. The embroidered emissary went to meet the owner of the ship.

The group had been travelling for the whole day and they were all extremely fatigued, so they rested up early. On the morning of the second day, they partook in breakfast in the inn before they headed to the docks together.

In the early morning, the Lancang River was shrouded in a mist. Moored in the bend of the docks was a three-storey tall, towering boat that had stopped there quietly. On top of the majestic and towering structure was a fluttering sailing flag, which added to the vast atmosphere. Naturally, given the grade of passenger boat, the boat fees were not cheap.

Huò Qīng Hóng started crying in awe and excitement before he even approached the vessel. He had been raised in the Capital, and if it were not for him tangling with Míng Guī Lán and insisting to come along, he would never have the chance to travel far from Jiangnan. Since this was the first time he was taking the water route, and the first time he was sitting on such a huge passenger boat, everything was novel and fun to him.

When Huò Wēi Lóu saw him acting in such a manner, he said placidly: “Since [you are] so happy now, do not cry later.”

Huò Qīng Hóng did not understand, “I would never. This tower ship is wider than the gaily painted pleasure-boat that drifts along the Weiyang Lake in the Capital, it is truly mesmerising, this journey definitely won’t be depressing.”

Míng Guī Lán and Fu gonggong stared at Huò Qīng Hóng like they were looking at an idiot.

Since they arrived exceptionally early, they did not see a lot of passengers as the group started to board the boat. The boat manager was bringing along a lavishly clothed young man as he walked out, and Lù Kē stepped forward when he noticed them: “Hou’ye, the Shěn Family’s Shao Dongjia is also embarking north by ship this time around.”

• 少东家 (pinyin: shao dong jia) – the son of a landlord/employer/boss/business owner.

The Shěn clan started building their family fortune on silk, later becoming immensely wealthy in Great Zhou, before they involved themselves in industries like shipbuilding and mining. Strictly speaking, they were the wealthiest family now. Although very few in the family clan have entered the officialdom, the businesses within its family could be traced back to the Families within the imperial court. And naturally, its clan members had decent foresight; after he noticed the arrival of Huò Wēi Lóu and his entourage, he could discern that Huò Wēi Lóu must have been in a seat of power for a long time even if he was in casual clothes, so how could he possibly dare to be irreverent?

“This humble one is Shěn Yá, extending a respectful welcome to all the honoured guests, the guest rooms have been prepared, please come this way—”

Shěn Yá was respectful and courteous, but he was deliberately obsequious and had a sense of propriety and etiquette, which was rather pleasing to both the eye and mind. They followed the corridor to move inwards, and promptly saw the open and exquisite interiors of the towered boat. The vessel was not something an ordinary passenger boat could compare to, and this suited Huò Qīng Hóng well, since he enjoyed leading a life of pleasures.

As they continued walking, they saw that the boat had incorporated a wineshop and tea hut. The first-floor rooms were crowded and narrow, the second-floor ones could be considered as normal, and the third floor had the best view of the entire towered boat, and its rooms were the widest and most magnificent as well. Shěn Yá said smilingly: “The third floor originally had two tenants, but after learning that there were honoured guests coming on board last night, zaixia made the room available, to better accommodate the various gongzi and xiaojie.”

Bó Ruò Yōu was the only woman in the entire group, and judging from her character, she did not seem like a servant either, so he naturally treated her as a master. The boat manager who was following at the side said: “For the sake of making room for the honoured guest, Shao Dongjia even relinquished his own room.”

Shěn Yá glanced at him, “Chatty.”

Towards this, Huò Wēi Lóu did not express an opinion.  Shěn Yá was deeply aware that it was not easy to cotton up to the people in Huò Wēi Lóu’s ilk, and he could only bring them to their rooms and settle them before asking for his leave.

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Although Huò Qīng Hóng just wanted to have fun and loved frolicking around, he also sneered lightly after seeing that, “That Shao Dongjia is truly a slick person, could it be that he has already discerned our identities?”

Huò Wēi Lóu declined to comment, only pointing at the two rooms at the end, “Both of you, father and daughter, are staying here.”

Chéng Yùn Zhī was well-aware that Huò Wēi Lóu had the intention to take care of them, but what surprised him was the fact that Marquis Wuzhao had such a good temper. Cognizant that he did not have the right to reject it, Chéng Yùn Zhī accepted it naturally and entered the room at the very end, with Bó Ruò Yōu choosing the room that was by his side. Once Huò Wēi Lóu saw that, he stepped into the room nearest to Bó Ruò Yōu, which didn’t reveal anything in particular, since both of their rooms had been near each other since the start of the journey. Huò Qīng Hóng proceeded to stay next to Huò Wēi Lóu, before he started to leap east and scurry west with tangible curiosity.

However, his brows started to scrunch together very quickly, “The boat is big, but it can be fully explored in a short while, why does it suddenly feel a little boring…”

Fu gonggong said helplessly, “If Shizi finds it boring now, whatever should be done for this entire journey?”

Just as Fu gonggong’s voice landed, they suddenly heard a wave of complicated noises. Once they looked down from the railings, they saw thirty to forty people coming up from the docks, with both genders accounted for. The dozen people walking at the front were dressed in bright and colourful robes, whilst the servants were carrying numerous boxes and baskets as they trailed after them. The boxes could be disregarded, but there were also weapons like knives, spears, swords, and halberds being exposed outside as they were being lifted up, and there were even some musical instruments like the drums and standing harp in its midst.

“Yi—“

Huò Qīng Hóng’s interest was roused instantaneously, “Who are they?”

Likewise, Míng Guī Lán was sitting in his wheelchair and beside the railing, “It’s a theatrical troupe.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s eyes brightened, immediately dispatching his own guard to make inquiries. Very quickly, the guard came up and stated: “Shizi, the arrivals are the well-known Jade Spring Troupe in Jiangnan.”

Huò Qīng Hóng blinked his eyes, “Jade Spring Troupe? I only know of the Double Joy Troupe and the Ten Thousand Prosperity Troupe, not some Jade Spring Troupe.”

“Shizi Dianxia, the Jade Spring Troupe is the best southern opera theatrical troupe in Jiangnan.” Wú Yú was staying in the outermost room on the third floor, so he was able to come up at this moment. When he heard that the Jade Spring Troupe was on the same boat, some happiness tinged his face.

• 世子殿下 (pinyin: shi zi dian xia) – lit. Your Highness the (Duke’s) Heir Apparent. It is a very formal way to speak to Huo Qing Hong.

Huò Qīng Hóng raised his eyebrows, “Wú daren knows of them?”

Wú Yú smiled, “My mother came from Jiangnan, and loves listening to good southern operas the most. This Jade Spring Troupe performs the best The Purple Hairpin and Dream Under the Southern Bough, both of which my mother enjoys. Their theatrical troupe usually performs in Jiangnan and its neighbouring areas, but allegedly, they would occasionally travel up north to perform. One wonders where they will be going this time around.”

That guard said: “They are also heading to the Capital for this trip. The Capital’s Marquis Huaiyang Residence is celebrating the birthday of Lao Tai Jun, and they have hired them to put up a month-long staged performance.”

• 老太君 (pinyin: lao tai jun) – essentially, it is referring to the old matriarch of the family, or the grandmother.

Wú Yú was slightly astonished, “So that’s how it, so that’s how it is. When the time comes around, one will have the good fortune of hearing their performance until one’s content.”

The bottom of Huò Qīng Hóng’s eyes brightened a little as he said: “Will they be able to sing and perform on the journey for the next few days? If there are songs and dramas as company every day, now that would be much more entertaining—”

In response, Fu gonggong pointed towards the location of Huò Wēi Lóu’s cabin, “Shizi has to ask Hou’ye first.”

Once he heard that line, Huò Qīng Hóng’s eyelids jumped. How could he possibly dare to ask Huò Wēi Lóu? At the side, Wú Yú immediately kept his excitable expression, since the Famen Temple case was not completely over yet.

In gradual succession, more and more passengers stepped on board, and they had to wait until the sun was the middle of the sky before the towered boat started to move slowly. As Huò Qīng Hóng was conversing with Míng Guī Lán on the couch because he was bored senseless, the towered boat moved, the sudden sway causing him to sit up in shock. “What’s going on, what’s going on?!”

Míng Guī Lán’s smile deepened, “It’s just the boat sailing.”

Huò Qīng Hóng came back to his senses, but he felt his complexion pale. He stood up. The boat clearly wasn’t rocking violently, but he was finding it hard to stand stably, “This… Why is it swaying more the gaily coloured pleasure-boat in the Capital?”

“It’s not swaying, it’s just that the wind and waves on the river surface are big.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s complexion was slightly white, “I’m not dizzy… I’m not dizzy at all…” He said, dropping back onto the couch. By the time the boat left the gulf, tears were already streaming down Huò Qīng Hóng’s face, “Older Brother truly has foresight.”

Huò Qīng Hóng was seasick; he was so dizzy that his world was shaking, and before the boat could travel ten miles out, he had already puked out all the contents of his breakfast, and his body was completely sapped of its vitality as he reclined on the couch and whined in a dispirited and listless manner. After Míng Guī Lán opened a prescription and boiled it on the boat, Huò Qīng Hóng groaned more as he drank the medicine, and then he grabbed onto Huò Wēi Lóu’s sleeve while seeing stars.

“Older Brother, I can’t do this anymore, I’m going to die… Older Brother, Mother and Father will be handed to you to take care of.”

Huò Wēi Lóu: “……”

Míng Guī Lán was split between laughter and tears: “[You’re] not going to die. After drinking this medicine today, [you] will be fine by tomorrow.”

Huò Qīng Hóng changed to a different posture to lie down, “I’m scared I can’t even endure past tonight…”

As he was throwing a fuss, Bó Ruò Yōu’s voice sounded from outside the door, “Hou’ye—”

Fu gonggong felt slightly distressed seeing Huò Qīng Hóng in this state, and he immediately went to open the door after hearing Bó Ruò Yōu’s voice. Once the door opened, he saw Bó Ruò Yōu holding onto a small jade bottle as she stood outside. She peeked inside the room, and saw everyone hovering around Huò Qīng Hóng, while the face that Huò Qīng Hóng was displaying no longer had its usual handsome and light-hearted profile. For a moment, she was slightly split between laughter and tears in her heart as well.

However, her visage was absolutely composed as she said: “It could be seen that Shizi was seasick, min’nü has an item that can help bring relief. This item does not have to be ingested, merely placed under the nose and inhaled. If it  still doesn’t work, the acupuncture method can be used to treat it, and it is reckoned that Míng gongzi has the know-how.”

Fu gonggong looked joyful as he accepted that jade bottle, catching a whiff of a refreshing scent before he even opened the lid. He brought it over to the side of the couch to hand it to Huò Qīng Hóng, who was half-believing and half-disbelieving as he took it. After opening the lid and taking a sniff, he felt relaxed and invigorated like what was stated. He peered at Bó Ruò Yōu who was standing there in perfect condition, his face reddening abruptly, “It can’t be… It can’t be that I’m the only person who is seasick.”

Huò Wēi Lóu looked at him coldly, “That’s right, you’re the only one.”

Huò Qīng Hóng pulled the brocade blanket over his head to cover himself in one move and started whining again. Very quickly, he pulled away the brocade blanket and brought the jade bottle closer to his nostril to inhale deeply, “Huh, this item is truly miraculous, I actually feel much better.”

Míng Guī Lán’s nasal cavity twitched as he turned around to look at Bó Ruò Yōu. He asked: “This item belongs to Bó guniang?”

Bó Ruò Yōu replied: “It was given by Yifu. Yifu has a rough understanding of medicine, and he originally prepared it for min’nü, but min’nü feels alright.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s old face blushed again after hearing the last line. He wanted to prop his body to sit up, but just as he tried to move, his hands were still unable to exert any strength. His visage became bitter, but he felt that Bó Ruò Yōu was sending charcoal amidst the snow by doing this, so he beckoned her forward from the door, “Yōu Yōu ah, you heart does have me…”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows knitted together instantaneously, “What nonsense are you babbling?”

Heart lurching, Huò Qīng Hóng raised his head, only to collide with Huò Wēi Lóu’s frigid eyes. Huò Qīng Hóng shrank inside with some fear, whereas Huò Wēi Lóu looked towards Míng Guī Lán, “What is the acupuncture method?”

Míng Guī Lán coughed lightly before he said: “In times of seasickness, massaging or needling the shaoshang point (just below the thumb nail at the outward edge), neiguan point (three fingers below the wrist), zu san li point (four fingers below the knee), or shenmen (side of the wrist) and taixi points (just below the ankle), can help to alleviate the symptoms of seasickness, except for it to take effect, it will be slightly painful.”

Fu gonggong sighed and said: “Shizi is the most afraid of pain.”

Huò Wēi Lóu glanced at Huò Qīng Hóng, who was shrinking inside again, though he refused to let go of that small jade bottle. Huò Wēi Lóu squinted his eyes, “There are still a number of days following, I think it would be better for you to just get the short-term pain over with, than prolong the agony.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s complexion changed instantaneously, “No way, Older Brother, you can’t bear to lay that hand…”

Huò Wēi Lóu patted Míng Guī Lán’s shoulder, “It’s enough if he can do it.”

After he was done speaking, he directly walked outwards without lingering around. Huò Qīng Hóng still wanted to beg for mercy, but he was only left with the visual of Huò Wēi Lóu’s back figure. Bó Ruò Yōu quickly moved away from the door, but Huò Wēi Lóu threw her a look and said: “Come with benhou.”

Inside the room, Fu gonggong could not care about what Huò Wēi Lóu was asking Bó Ruò Yōu to do. Huò Qīng Hóng gazed at Míng Guī Lán with a pitiful expression, “Guī Lán, based on our friendship, you can’t bear to lay that hand either.” 

Míng Guī Lán smiled with crinkled eyes, “But your older brother has orders, and I don’t dare to disobey. You should know that once your older brother becomes angry, even ghosts are afraid.” After saying that, he told his servants to retrieve the needles.

Huò Qīng Hóng glared at Míng Guī Lán, aggrieved, but Míng Guī Lán remained unmoved.

Huò Qīng Hóng threw a pleading look at Fu gonggong. Fu gonggong thought about it before he sighed audibly, going forward to hold Huò Qīng Hóng’s hand. When Huò Qīng Hóng saw that, he was so touched that he nearly wept from joy, “Gonggong, I knew Gonggong doted on me—”

“No, Shizi.” Fu gonggong’s grip around him tightened, “Laonu is merely afraid that ȳou will run away.”

Huò Qīng Hóng: “……”

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In the next-door cabin, Bó Ruò Yōu stood a short distance away from Huò Wēi Lóu. She did not know why Huò Wēi Lóu asked her to follow him, but she followed him anyway. However, after they enter the room, Huò Wēi Lóu scrutinised her with an indecipherable gaze, not once opening his mouth to issue any instructions.

Bó Ruò Yōu became slightly uneasy, “Hou’ye?”

Huò Wēi Lóu observed Bó Ruò Yōu with narrowed eyes, staring at her exquisite, spirited and elegant brows and eyes, tracing her seemingly suspended jasper nose, roaming to her cherry petal thin lips and down to her slender and gracefully beautiful neck. At seventeen, her stature was slender, pert, and elegant; though she was wearing winter skirts, there were subtle curves on her chest, and that waist, no one was more cognizant than him about how it could not bear to be held.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s pupils shrank a little, “You said that your parents passed away early. After returning to the Capital, will you be living out your life with your foster father?”

Bó Ruò Yōu nodded, “Yes.”

Huò Wēi Lóu fiddled with the black jade ornament ring on his thumb, “Do [you] have any clansmen in the Capital?”

Bó Ruò Yōu hesitated momentarily, but she still said: “Yes, but any visits in the past years have been few and far between, though [we] are returning to the capital, perhaps there still won’t be any social interactions.”

The boat was not travelling at a slow pace, and it would occasionally encounter a huge wave, which caused the hull to sway and tilt at a slight angle. Bó Ruò Yōu was standing five to six steps away from Huò Wēi Lóu, still appearing rather restrained in front of him. He continued to ask, “Your foster father is also a native of the Capital?”

Bó Ruò Yōu seemed to predict that he would have questions, so she did not hesitate as she replied: “Yes.”

Huò Wēi Lóu was about to toss out another question when they suddenly heard Huò Qīng Hóng shrieking miserably in the room next door. His brows wrinkled slightly, remembering the jade bottle that Bó Ruò Yōu gave Huò Qīng Hóng again. Bó Ruò Yōu naturally heard it as well, and she subconsciously shifted her eyes to the side.

“Want to take a look?” Huò Wēi Lóu suddenly asked.

Bó Ruò Yōu quickly shook her head, to which Huò Wēi Lóu lifted his chin, “Was your foster father working as a coroner in the past? Since your coroner skills were taught by him, then he must be more accomplished than you.”

Bó Ruò Yōu said frankly: “Yifu only became a coroner after arriving at Qingshan County, he was a physician before that.”

“Since he was a physician, why didn’t he continue being a physician, and became a coroner instead?”

Bó Ruò Yōu was slightly stumped by that question. Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes congealed, “It can’t be told to benhou?”

Bó Ruò Yōu shook her head again, “Of course not. It’s just that min’nü isn’t aware of the reason either. Min’nü’s foster mother also had rudimentary knowledge in medicine, and she once opened a clinic. After Yifu became a coroner, he didn’t find that being a coroner was lowly either, since he could exonerate people and redress injustices, so he committed himself to it.”

If Huò Wēi Lóu hadn’t investigated Bó Ruò Yōu, then he wouldn’t have known the veracity of her words, but he had investigated her, so he knew that Bó Ruò Yōu was not lying. His brows relaxed, but he did not speak again. Truth to be told, when he ordered Bó Ruò Yōu to follow along, he was not sure what he wanted to do with her.

The room quietened down immediately. Bó Ruò Yōu was a little baffled in her heart, and after mulling over it, she suddenly said: “Is Hou’ye trying to ask about min’nü’s life experiences?”

It had to be said that Huò Wēi Lóu did not expect that Bó Ruò Yōu would bring up this question on his own. He had clearly investigated Bó Ruò Yōu, but his current demeanour remained unmoved for the most part besides his eyebrows which rose slightly, “Why would benhou want to ask about your life experiences?”

Bó Ruò Yōu said: “The people following Hou’ye are all trusted aides, but Hou’ye doesn’t know about min’nü’s background.”

Huò Wēi Lóu was still expressionless, “Is there anything special about your background?”

“It’s not special per se, but Hou’ye might have heard of min’nü’s family clan.” After giving a pause, Bó Ruò Yōu spoke in a blunt manner: “Does Hou’ye know of the Capital-Bó Clan? Many years ago, it used to boast the name ‘One Door Three Ministers’, but what remains of it now is just the reputation.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows creased together slightly. He did not expect that Bó Ruò Yōu would inform him of the things that he dispatched his men to investigate with such candour.

“Min’nü’s Father was the Bó Family’s Third Master Bó Jǐng Xíng.”

As if she felt that it was not enough, Bó Ruò Yōu went into greater detail.

Huò Wēi Lóu saw her calm countenance, noting that the gaze she was regarding him with was rather trusting. Unable to help himself, he said faintly, “Continue.”

Bó Ruò Yōu thought about it, “After Father and Mother’s passing, min’nü proceeded to follow Yifu and Yimu to Qingzhou. Back then, min’nü was terribly ill, and she no longer remembers how she arrived, though it seems like [we] took the water route as well. One stay in Qingzhou lasted for ten years, and it was only recently that [we] thought about going back. All these years, there was barely any contact with the Bó Residence, for the same reason, it will still be a life of mutual dependence with Yifu even though [we] are returning to the Capital.”

“Why inform benhou of these?”

Bó Ruò Yōu contemplated briefly, “Because Hou’ye might have some questions about min’nü. Moreover, Hou’ye will know about it sooner or later, and min’nü has nothing to hide from Hou’ye.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes became slightly deep with meaning, “Apart from these, do you know about anything else, with regards to the Capital-Bó clan?”

Bó Ruò Yōu shook her head, “Not at all. Speaking of which, min’nü can scarcely remember her days in the Bó Residence back then.”

Bó Ruò Yōu’s expression was extremely calm. Both of her parents died, she left her home at a young age. When she slowly uttered those words from her mouth, they seemed like facts that could not be more ordinary. The Bó Residence had shown no interest towards her in all these years, but no resentment could be perceived from her, as if it didn’t really matter at all. And when she looked at him, it was with a clear and sharp gaze; the bottom of her eyes could be seen at a glance, reflecting his figure from afar.

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Huò Wēi Lóu stared at Bó Ruò Yōu for a long moment. Suddenly, he raised his hand to knead his glabella and issued a light hiss, as if he was experiencing a bit of discomfort. Shocked, Bó Ruò Yōu took a step forward anxiously, “Hou’ye, what’s the matter?”

Huò Wēi Lóu said in a low and hoarse voice, “Headache.”

A touch of surprise emerged on Bó Ruò Yōu’s visage. Huò Wēi Lóu appeared as though he was forged out of iron, why was he suddenly having a headache? At this moment, Huò Qīng Hóng’s miserable shriek travelled over from the next-door cabin again.

Her mind moved, “Could it be that Hou’ye is seasick as well?”

Huò Wēi Lóu leaned against the backrest of the chair with his eyes closed, not giving a response to her words. Bó Ruò Yōu became slightly anxious, “What should be done, min’nü has already given the ointment to Shizi—”

Huò Wēi Lóu was still silent, and Bó Ruò Yōu promptly said: “Min’nü will go and call for Míng gongzi.”

It was only then that Huò Wēi Lóu looked towards her, “Don’t you how to use acupressure?”

Bó Ruò Yōu’s eyes lit up for a moment. Feeling that there was no other alternative, she approached him, “May Hou’ye stretch his hand out—”

Huò Wēi Lóu extended his right hand whilst Bó Ruò Yōu leaned over, raising her hand to pressed down on an acupoint that was on the web between his thumb and forefinger, “The hegu point is one of the acupoints on the yang-intensive large intestines meridian, between the first and second metacarpal bones. Relatively speaking, putting pressure on this area is the most effective, and the effects will be even better if it was needled. Hou’ye, this is the area.”

Bó Ruò Yōu was pointing out the acupoint to Huò Wēi Lóu, but when she raised her head, she only saw Huò Wēi Lóu reclining on the chair with his eyes closed and brows knitted. In spite of that, it could still affect people with a kind of apprehension that deterred, to the extent where Bó Ruò Yōu did not dare to speak further. As she thought about how she and her father were being protected by Huò Wēi Lóu for the entire journey, and remembered the life-saving debt of gratitude she owed to Huò Wēi Lóu, she did not dare to trouble Huò Wēi Lóu with the task of having to massage himself. Hence, she retracted her line of sight and started to knead and massage the acupoint for Huò Wēi Lóu in all seriousness.

Her palms had a layer of thin callouses, but her fingertips were fine and satiny. One of her hands supported Huò Wēi Lóu’s hand, while the other was placed above the web between his thumb and forefinger, her strength neither light nor heavy as she massaged it, and she would look at Huò Wēi Lóu from time to time, like she was checking for any discomfort to adjust the amount of force she was exerting. However, Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows remained scrunched the entire time, so she did not dare to stop.

The noise that Huò Qīng Hóng was making in the cabin next door was not small, and in contrast, this room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Huò Wēi Lóu’s inhales and exhales were in close proximity, which caused the manly odour that was specific to his person to assault her senses directly. Bó Ruò Yōu glanced at Huò Wēi Lóu, only to discern the tinge of fatigue on his knife-pared and hatchet-carved, handsome face.

Huò Wēi Lóu had always been imposing and awe-inspiring, like he was completely unaware of what toil was; he passed like thunder and moved like the wind, so unyielding and dauntless that he appeared indestructible.

But he was not a deity.

A hint of a sigh slid past the bottom of Bó Ruò Yōu’s heart as she became all the more resolved to completely devote herself to her task and added more strength to it. Gradually, however, she started to realise that Huò Wēi Lóu’s palm was becoming hotter and hotter. Her brows furrowed, slightly hesitant about whether she should tell Huò Wēi Lóu that his kidney was suffering from a slight excess of heat caused by a yin deficiency…

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